Trending Now: 07/03/2025 - Walker Kessler Landing Spots

Trending Now is our space for urgent, time-sensitive news that doesn’t fit our usual content rotation. Think: game-day injury bombshells, last-minute trades, or pre-waiver chaos.  

This edition covers the rumors surrounding Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler.

Four Best Fits for Walker Kessler as Utah Shops Its Young Center

The Utah Jazz are actively exploring the market for their young center, Walker Kessler. Long rumored as a target of the Los Angeles Lakers, the Jazz’s asking price was recently reported by Jovan Buha: two first-round picks and one young player.

That steep price narrows the field of suitors, but several teams stand out as logical fits — both from a roster and an asset‑management perspective. Here are the four best destinations for Kessler as trade talks heat up.

Golden State Warriors

With Kevon Looney departing in free agency, the Warriors’ big-man rotation currently consists of Quentin Post and Trayce Jackson‑Davis. While Golden State has two young players in Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga, it’s unclear if either interests Utah.

What the Warriors do have, however, is draft capital: they control five of their next six first‑round picks. This could allow them to package two future firsts far enough down the road to appeal to Utah without gutting their young core — offering the upside of draft flexibility over immediate youth.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers lost Myles Turner in free agency and are left with only Isaiah Jackson and a handful of power forwards capable of playing small‑ball five. Indiana arguably has the best combination of young talent and draft capital: Bennedict Mathurin and Johnny Furphy headline the young player pool, while the team also controls all six of its next six first‑round picks.

Trading for Kessler would be an uncharacteristic win‑now move for Indiana, but with a glaring hole at center, desperate times might justify it.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers parted ways with Anthony Davis last season and signed Deandre Ayton to fill the void, but Ayton no longer appears to be the kind of centerpiece you build around. Adding Kessler could stabilize the frontcourt and raise the team’s ceiling.

The Lakers have Dalton Knecht, whose name has already surfaced in rumors involving Miami’s Andrew Wiggins, as well as four of their next six first‑round picks. They could craft a competitive package while maintaining enough depth for a playoff push.

Boston Celtics

Boston’s offseason has been defined by subtraction, not addition. The Celtics moved Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday in cap‑cutting moves, leaving gaping holes — especially at center. While Boston can’t match the Warriors or Pacers in young talent, their draft capital is intriguing: they own five of their next six picks, including a swap with San Antonio and an additional 2029 first.

A deal for Kessler could help Boston reset its identity while shoring up its biggest weakness.

Final Thoughts

Walker Kessler remains one of the league’s most intriguing young bigs — a defensive anchor with untapped offensive upside. While Utah’s asking price is high, these four teams all have the means and motivation to make a deal happen. Whether it’s Golden State’s future‑focused flexibility, Indiana’s mix of youth and picks, the Lakers’ urgency to compete, or Boston’s strategic reset, Kessler could quickly become a centerpiece elsewhere.

The coming weeks will tell if one of these teams is willing to meet Utah’s price — and just how much they believe in Kessler’s potential.